Method for distributing images via a network

ABSTRACT

A method for the distribution of pictures over a network, whereby a supplier computer, a web shop computer and a customer computer are connected to the network, whereby a supplier makes a large number of pictures accessible via the network and the purchase is possible via a web shop and whereby the method exhibits the following steps: saving of digital data, which represent the supplier&#39;s pictures in a storage device of the supplier computer; assignment of at least one hyperlink to the digital data, whereby the at least one hyperlink is used for initiating an order method for the ordering of at least one picture and refers or contains information which refers to the web shop computer; establishing of a connection between the customer computer and the supplier computer via the network; reading out of the data saved in the storage device of the supplier computer and displaying of the appropriate pictures and the at least one assigned hyperlink on a display device of the customer computer; activation of the hyperlink by the customer for ordering at least one picture; establishment of a connection in response to the activation of the hyperlink between the customer computer and the web shop computer via the network for initiating the order method; execution of the order method and sending of a confirmation query from the web shop computer to the customer computer including reference data which represent the at least one ordered picture; reception of the confirmation query by the customer computer and sending of a confirmation message from the customer computer to the web shop computer for the case where the appropriate order is to be executed; establishment of a connection between the web shop computer and the supplier computer via the network in response to a positive confirmation by the customer; reading out of those digital data which represent the at least one ordered picture by the web shop computer from the storage device of the supplier computer; and processing of the read-out picture data according to the customer&#39;s desired picture format.

This invention relates to a method for distributing pictures over anetwork.

Within the scope of so-called e-commerce, the Internet offers a verypopular method of distributing products. Here, product suppliers set upvirtual shops, so-called web shops and offer the products usingelectronic catalogues in the form of HTML or WML pages, which are savedin storage devices of server computers, for distribution over theInternet. The suppliers or web shop operators employ the usualtechniques, such as servlets, server side include and CGI scripts togenerate dynamic, interactive web pages which, for example, illustratethe electronic catalogue and through which the scope of functions of theappropriate web shop is achieved.

Using a computer or a WAP-compatible mobile telephone, a potentialcustomer can visually display the electronic catalogue of a web shop onan appropriate display device. To order a product over the Internet fromthe web shop a so-called electronic shopping basket is set up for thepotential customer in which the products to be ordered are placed.

A disadvantage of the above form of distributing products is that, asdescribed above, complex techniques are required in order for thesupplier to be able to set up a functioning web shop and operatee-commerce. Furthermore, due to the complexity of the techniquesinvolved, only professional suppliers are able to set up web shops todistribute products.

For the case taken as an example in which a private Internet user hasavailable personal web pages, i.e. HTML or WML content, in which hemakes reference to and publishes a small number of pictures orphotographs, these pictures represent data which are saved in a storagedevice of a computer of the Internet user or a so-called Internetprovider. In order not to unnecessarily retard the transmission speed ofthe pictures referenced in HTML or WML content, high resolution digitalpictures are not integrated into the relevant web pages, but insteaddigital pictures with reduced amounts of data. In particular in thiscase given as an example, it is not worth setting up a complex web shop,just to distribute a few pictures. An interested viewer must thereforeestablish contact to the Internet user if he is interested in a highresolution version or a photographic print, which represents furthereffort on the part of the viewer as well as the Internet user.

Starting from the known state of the art the object of this invention isto provide a method for distributing pictures over a network with whicha supplier of pictures can offer pictures simply and efficiently fordistribution over a network.

This object is solved based on the object of patent claim 1.

Preferred embodiments of this invention are the object of the subclaims.

In particular the object of this invention is solved by a method for thedistribution of pictures over a network, whereby a supplier computer,web shop computer and a customer computer are connected to the network,whereby a supplier makes a large number of pictures accessible via theInternet and enables the purchase via a web shop. In this respectdigital data representing the supplier's pictures are saved in a storagedevice of the supplier computer, whereby at least one hyperlink isassigned to the digital data and at least one hyperlink is used forinitiating an ordering method for ordering at least one picture and itreferences information or contains information referring to the web shopcomputer. In a further step the establishing of a connection between thecustomer computer and the supplier computer occurs via the network. Thedata saved in the storage device of the supplier computer are read outand the relevant pictures and the at least one assigned hyperlink aredisplayed on the display device of the customer computer. For orderingat least one picture the customer activates the hyperlink, followingwhich, in response to the activation of the hyperlink, the establishmentof a connection between the customer computer and the web shop computeroccurs over the network for initiating the ordering method. The orderingmethod is carried out and a confirmation query is sent from the web shopcomputer to the customer computer, including reference data representingthe at least one ordered picture. The confirmation query is received bythe customer computer and a confirmation message is sent from thecustomer computer to the web shop computer for the case in which theappropriate order is to be carried out. In response to a positiveconfirmation by the customer a connection is established between the webshop computer and the supplier computer via the network and thosedigital data representing the at least one ordered picture are read outof the storage device of the supplier computer by the web shop computer.The picture data which are read out are prepared according to thecustomer's desired picture format.

According to a preferred variant of this invention the at least onehyperlink represents a picture link whereby a separate picture link isassigned to each offered picture from the supplier, the picture linkcontaining information of the assigned picture or referring to it.Hence, a customer must activate the picture link of the picture that isto be ordered.

According to another variant of this invention, the at least onehyperlink represents a form link so that a large number of offeredpictures from the supplier can be assigned to a common form link withinthe framework of an electronic order form, the form link containing orreferring to information with regard to at least one ordered picture.The electronic order form contains in particular fields for selecting atleast one picture and an order field that can be activated for orderingthe at least one selected picture. A completed electronic order form issent from the customer computer to the web shop computer by clicking onthe order field, preferably by clicking with a computer mouse, wherebythe form link is activated by clicking the order field.

Furthermore, a large number of offered pictures from the supplier can inturn be assigned to a common form link which contains informationregarding a special software program for creating an electronic orderform for ordering at least one picture or which refers to it.

One advantage of the method according to the invention is that more orless all existing stocks of pictures in the Internet can be renderedcapable of being ordered, whereby individual, in particular also privatesuppliers, who, for example, show pictures on the home pages or otherpersonal web pages, can render them capable of being ordered by adding asimple hyperlink and can efficiently distribute them without employingcomplex techniques.

In the web shop computer an electronic shopping basket is set up for thecustomer. The setting up of the shopping basket preferably occurs inresponse to the activation of the at least one hyperlink. In particular,setting up only occurs for the case in which no electronic shoppingbasket has been set up yet for the relevant customer. In the electronicshopping basket information is placed which represents the at least oneordered picture and from which at least one hyperlink is set.

The data saved in the storage device of the supplier computer canrepresent HTML or WML content. The network is preferably the Internet,whereby the supplier computer can be managed by an Internet provider.Consequently, a supplier, who wants to offer digital pictures over theInternet, does not necessarily need to make these digital data availableon a personal computer, but can instead make them accessible on anycomputer accessible via the Internet. The customer computer can beimplemented as a mobile telephone which is WAP or UMTS-compatible.

In particular, the method according to the invention is suitable for theparticipation of a large number of suppliers and/or for theparticipation of a large number of customers.

The preparation of the picture data that are read out includes sendingthe picture data to a photographic laboratory and the printing of atleast one appropriate photographic print in paper form according to thecustomer's desired picture format. The printing of the at least onephotographic print includes delivery of the at least one photographicprint to the customer. The delivery of the at least one photographicprint to the customer preferably occurs via letter or parcel post andcan be carried out directly by the photographic laboratory.

In particular, in response to a positive confirmation by the customer, apayment method is initiated in which payment occurs of the at least oneordered picture starting from a customer account created for thecustomer or, for example, by stating a suitable credit card number inthe customer's confirmation message. According to another variant, thepayment of the ordered pictures can also occur by the customer afterdelivery of the photographic prints through collection via invoice.

Other preferred embodiments of this invention are explained in moredetail based on the following figures. In detail, the figures show:

FIG. 1 shows a block diagram for the illustration of a system fordistributing pictures via the Internet according to a preferredembodiment of this invention;

FIG. 2 shows a flow chart for the illustration of the procedural stepsfor providing the pictures;

FIG. 3 shows a flow chart for the illustration of the procedural stepsfor viewing and ordering pictures;

FIG. 4 shows a continuation of the flow chart in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 shows a flow chart for the illustration of the creation of ashopping basket; and

FIG. 6 shows a continuation of the flow chart in FIG. 5.

FIG. 1 shows a system for distributing pictures according to a preferredembodiment of this invention, with a so-called web shop 1, a largenumber of suppliers 2 and a large number of customers 3, as well as aphotographic laboratory 4. The web shop 1, each supplier 2 and eachcustomer 3 each have available preferably in each case a computer, thecomputers being connected to one another via the Internet 4, wherebyespecially the web shop 1 can be operated fully automatically.

The suppliers 2 make photographs or pictures available and publish thesein the Internet. The suppliers 2 may be professional customers, such asbroadcasting organisations or photographers who, for example, want topublish and distribute pictures of public events. On the other hand,private customers can also publish their photographs in the Internet anddistribute them according to the invention. A special feature of thepossible suppliers 2 is that they have available a method of propagatingtheir pictures over the Internet, but do not have the structures of aweb shop in the classical sense to professionally distribute thesepictures. This means, for example, that a private supplier can publishpictures that he has taken preferably within the scope of HTML or WMLcontent and save the corresponding digital data in a storage device onhis computer accessible via the Internet or save the data in a storagedevice of a so-called Internet provider. The HTML or WML content canrepresent specific web pages such as home pages or picture galleries.

A customer 3 establishes a connection, in each case preferably via theInternet, between his computer and the computer of a certain supplier 2who is publishing pictures and offering them for distribution. Forexample, the customer 3 sends his enquiry 5 via the Internet to thecomputer of the supplier 2 to interrogate (6) appropriate HTML or WMLcontent. This content can be displayed on a suitable graphical displaydevice on the customer's computer. From the large number of displayedpictures the customer 3 can select one or more pictures which he wouldlike to order.

For ordering, data are interchanged between the computer of the customer3 and the computer of the web shop 1 via Internet connections 7, 8 whichis explained in more detail in the following.

First of all, the customer 3 activates a hyperlink inserted in the HTMLor WML page of the supplier 2. On activating the hyperlink, the computerof the customer 3 establishes an Internet connection with the computerof the web shop 1 and sends information for initiating an orderingmethod to the web shop 1.

According to a first variant, each offered picture of the supplier 2 isassigned a separate hyperlink, which, for example, can be activated byclicking on the corresponding picture with a computer mouse. Accordingto another variant, a so-called form link is created. On activating theform link, a connection to the computer of the web shop 1 is in turnestablished and the information contained in the hyperlink is sent tothe web shop 1. In this case the information preferably includes thename of a special, web-based script for creating a dynamic order form,with the aid of which simultaneously a number of pictures can be orderedfrom the supplier 2. In this respect, the computer of the web shop 1sends data representing the dynamic order form via the Internet to thecomputer of the customer 3. The data are evaluated in the computer ofthe customer 3 and the corresponding order form is displayed on thegraphical display device, whereby the customer 3, for example using acomputer mouse or a keyboard, can define which pictures he would like toorder. For the case where the customer 3 uses a computer mouse for this,a pick list, from which all pictures from the supplier 2 can beselected, can be shown in the displayed order form. The completed orderform is sent by the customer 3 via the Internet to the web shop 1.

To conclude the ordering method, i.e. when the customer 3 has selectedall the pictures of the supplier 2 which he would like to order, hesends an appropriate message to the web shop 1. This occurs for exampleby activating an order field on the graphical display device by clickingwith the computer mouse.

According to an especially preferred embodiment of this invention, thesupplier 2 sets up an order form on his HTML or WML page which containsany number of fields, a defined action and a so-called submit buttonwhich preferably initiates the action on being clicked with a computermouse. The supplier 2 places preferably in each case a so-called checkbox under each picture and defines the data in each case where theappropriate picture file is located. Consequently, according to thisvariant, a picture link is not assigned to each picture, but instead ineach case to a form field. Information which represents picturesselected by the customer 3 is sent by activating the common submitbutton in the framework of the message from the customer computer to theweb shop computer. This means that the defined action represents sendingthe information and the submit button represents the form link.

In particular, the HTML or WML content can be displayed on thecustomer's graphical display device such that the customer “ticks” eachpicture which he wants to order and by clicking the submit button in theframework of the message sends information to the web shop computerwhich describes what has been ticked, i.e. the content of the form.Consequently, multiple orders are possible.

Therefore, preferably a web browser in the supplier computer sets upfrom the form data a form link on which all the information of the formis appended. When the customer 3 clicks the submit button, the browsercalls the form link which includes the form data as parameters, wherebythe customer computer is connected to the web shop computer and sendsthe form data to it in the framework of the message. A script whichprocesses the parameters then runs on the web shop computer.

The order form which the customer 3 can set up for this sort of multipleorder is standard HTML, i.e. the customer 3 does not need to installscripts or other software programs, but instead preferably just keeps toa structure specified by the web shop 1.

The orders received by the web shop 1 are evaluated by the web shopcomputer and a so-called electronic shopping basket is created for therelevant customer 3 in which the data are written which represent thepictures he has selected. The web shop computer determines this databased on the information which is received within the framework of theactivated picture or form link.

After receiving the message, the web shop 1 creates an order contractfor the customer 3 in which the pictures referenced using the shoppingbasket are identified. Preferably, data which represent the createdorder contract are sent for checking of the order for completeness anderrors to the customer 3, whereby the customer 3 is requested to confirmthe order contract.

In response to a confirmation of this type, the computer of the web shop1 sends a query 9 over the Internet to the computer of the supplier 2 torequest the digital data representing the ordered pictures. The computerof the supplier 2 processes this request and sends the response 10containing the digital data of the ordered pictures via the Internet tothe computer of the web shop 1. The information with regard to thesupplier computer in which these digital data are stored is determinedby evaluation of the picture or form link of the supplier. Therefore,the picture data need not necessarily be located on a computer of thesupplier 2, but can be available somewhere in the Internet instead,whereby for example a storage device of an Internet provider's computerrepresents the supplier computer. Furthermore, these data can forexample be protected by a password to protect the supplier's highresolution pictures.

The web shop computer receives these digital data and processes them inorder to preferably have a photographic laboratory 4 produce realcorresponding photographs. The transfer of the digital data 11preferably also occurs over the Internet.

The photographic laboratory 4 produces the desired number of realphotographic prints and transfers them within the framework of adelivery 12 to the web shop 1 which in turn delivers the pictures to thecustomer 3 within the scope of a delivery 13. In this respect, thephotographic laboratory 4 can be part of the web shop 1.

The deliveries 12, 13 are preferably deliveries in the classical sense,for example by letter or parcel post. According to another variant thedeliveries can be carried out by special delivery companies. Inparticular, the delivery of the desired real photographic prints canoccur directly from the photographic laboratory 4 to the customer 3.

Furthermore, a payment method is initiated preferably by the web shopcomputer. In this respect the customer 3 can for example make a paymentby entering a credit card number, whereby the order is only carried outby the web shop computer for the case in which checking of the relevantcredit card provides a positive result. According to another variant,the customer 3 can open a customer account with the web shop 1 on which,with appropriate credit worthiness, a certain credit scope is allowedwhich is balanced as required by automatic monthly payments, which is ofparticular advantage to major customers. The supplier 2 preferablyreceives a percentage share of the distribution of his pictures, thelevel of which can be agreed between the supplier 2 and the web shop 1.According to another variant payment of ordered pictures can occur viacollection per invoice.

One advantage of the system according to the invention for distributingpictures is that suppliers of pictures are offered a method ofpublishing and distributing pictures over the Internet without havingavailable complex techniques for the generation of dynamic interactiveweb pages, such as servlets, servers, side include or CGI, through whichthe functional scope of a typical web shop is achieved. In particular,the order method is transparent to the customer 3, i.e. on activating anappropriate hyperlink the customer 3 is passed to the web shop 1 wherean electronic shopping basket is set up for him and in which identifiersand references of those pictures are placed which the customer 3 wouldlike to order. The information necessary for this is taken directly fromthe hyperlink or from the completed order form. To order the content ofthe shopping basket the customer 3 initiates a normal order methodwithin the framework of e-commerce.

Another advantage of the system according to the invention is that thecustomer 3 can order pictures which are available somewhere in theInternet and that the appropriate data representing the pictures do notneed to be available on the web shop computer, whereby the structuresnecessary for this are substantially simplified on the side of the webshop 1.

Normally, the connections 5 to 10 are established over the Internet viaa fixed network. According to another embodiment of this invention, theconnections 5 to 10 can at least partially be established over anappropriate mobile telephone network, whereby the customer 3 for exampleusing a WAP-compatible mobile telephone interrogates WML content on thecomputer of the supplier 2 and displays it on the display of the mobiletelephone. In particular the UMTS (Universal Mobile TelecommunicationsSystems) technology can be used.

FIG. 2 shows a flow chart to illustrate the procedural steps forproviding pictures which are published by a supplier preferably in theInternet and offered for distribution through a suitable web shop.

In step 14 an appropriate supplier saves digital data representing theoffered pictures in a storage device accessible via the Internet. Inthis respect, a storage device in the supplier's computer may beinvolved or a storage device at an Internet provider, who for examplemanages the supplier's home page. In particular, digital data can beintegrated into HTML contents on the supplier's home page or on webpages specially provided for this purpose.

In step 15 the supplier creates one or more hyperlinks. According to afirst variant, the created hyperlinks are implemented as picture links,i.e. a certain hyperlink is assigned to each picture, whereby thishyperlink references the web shop and includes information used forordering the associated picture. This information includes preferably acomplete Internet address or a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) underwhich the picture can be found or an internal data base identification.According to another variant, the created hyperlink is implemented as aform link, i.e. the hyperlink references in turn the web shop and onbeing activated by a customer, causes a digital order form to be sent tothe customer's computer from the web shop, the order form being able tobe used for ordering a large number of pictures from the correspondingsupplier. In particular, this digital order form is implemented as adynamic order form in which the customer can set a quantity, i.e. thenumber of prints and the size of the desired real photographs. The formlink includes for example data which identify the name of a specialscript and parameters for the control of this script, whereby callingthe script causes the data representing the digital order form to besent to the customer's computer.

According to a particularly preferred embodiment of this invention, thesupplier sets up an order form on his HTML or WML page which containsany number of fields, a defined action and a so-called submit buttonwhich preferably initiates the action on being clicked with a computermouse. The supplier places preferably a so-called check box under eachpicture and defines in each case the data where the correspondingpicture file is located. The defined action represents the sending ofthe information and the submit button represents the form link.

This sort of ordered picture can be viewed by potential customers viathe Internet and ordered from the appropriate web shop, which isexplained in more detail based on FIGS. 3 and 4.

FIG. 3 shows a flow chart for the illustration of method steps for theviewing and ordering of a supplier's pictures by a customer whereby thesupplier's pictures are accessible to the customer in the form ofdigital pictures via the Internet.

In step 18 the customer establishes a connection preferably over theInternet between a computer suitable for this and a computer of thesupplier. For the case where the supplier makes the pictures availablein the form of digital data within the scope of HTML contents or WMLcontents which are saved in a storage device at an Internet provider,the connection is established between the potential customer's computerand an appropriate computer of the Internet provider.

In step 19 the potential customer views the pictures offered by thesupplier. For this, he can display for example the home page or theappropriate web page of the supplier on a graphical display of hiscomputer. To initiate an ordering method the customer activates eitheraccording to step 20 a picture link which is assigned to thecorresponding picture which is to be ordered and which references a webshop or according to step 21 a form link which preferably references aspecial script on a web shop computer for creating a dynamic order formor for sending form data which represent a completed order form. Asexplained in step 22, the activation of a picture link or a form linkcauses the establishment of a connection between the customer's computerand the web shop computer.

FIG. 4 shows a continuation of the flow chart according to FIG. 3. Afterthe connection has been established according to step 22 in FIG. 3, thenin step 23 information which is contained in the link activated in step20 or 21 is sent from the customer's computer to the web shop computer.This information identifies one or several desired pictures. In step 24the creation of a shopping basket for the customer occurs in the webshop computer, whereby those pictures ordered by the customer from theweb shop are placed into the shopping basket.

In step 25 the ordering of the pictures contained in the shopping basketoccurs at the web shop. For this, the corresponding customer confirmsthe order which he has placed at the web shop, whereby for example datarepresenting the order and identifying all the ordered pictures is sentfrom the web shop to the customer so that the customer can check theorder for completeness and freedom from errors and can then confirm theorder.

FIG. 5 shows a flow chart for the illustration of the procedural stepsfor creating an electronic shopping basket in a web shop computer,whereby on the activation of a form link, data representing a dynamicorder form are sent from a web shop computer to a customer computer.

In step 26 data are received in the web shop computer, the datarepresenting the information contained in an activated link with regardto one or more pictures to be ordered.

For the case in that no shopping basket has been set up in the web shopfor the customer yet, the setting up of this type of shopping basketoccurs in step 27. Then a check follows to determine whether theactivated link is a picture link or a form link.

For the case where the activated link is a form link, the datarepresenting an order form for ordering one or more pictures from thesupplier are sent in step 28 from the web shop computer to the customercomputer, the data being able to be displayed on a graphical displaydevice on the customer computer.

In step 29 the customer can complete the displayed, dynamic order formand in particular enter information which identifies the desiredpictures, the number of desired prints and the size of the prints. Instep 30 data representing the completed order form is sent from thecustomer's computer to the web shop computer.

FIG. 6 shows a continuation of the flow chart in FIG. 5.

In step 31 the information contained in the picture link or in thecompleted order form is evaluated and the appropriately referencedpictures are placed in the created shopping basket.

The processing of confirmed orders by the web shop, i.e. for exampletransfer of the digital data representing the pictures, from theappropriate supplier computer to the appropriate web shop computer andthe creation of a production contract for an appropriate photographiclaboratory and the sending of the real photographs produced by thephotographic laboratory occurs preferably according to the state of theart.

In particular, the method according to the invention can also be appliedto the distribution of pictures when a supplier only wants to offer onesingle picture.

1. A method for distributing pictures over a network, whereby a suppliercomputer, a web shop computer and a customer computer are connected to anetwork, whereby a supplier makes a plurality of pictures available overthe network and enables the purchase via a web shop, the methodcomprising the following steps: saving digital data representing thepictures of the supplier in a storage device of the supplier computer;assigning at least one hyperlink to the digital data, whereby the saidat least one hyperlink is used for initiating an order method forordering at least one picture and which references or includesinformation which references the web shop computer and a web-basedscript for creating an order form; establishing a connection between thecustomer computer and the supplier computer via the network; reading outthe data saved in the storage device of the supplier computer anddisplaying of the appropriate pictures and the at least one assignedhyperlink on a display device of the customer computer; activating thehyperlink by the customer for ordering at least one picture; in responseto the activation of the hyperlink, establishing of a connection betweenthe customer computer and the web shop computer via the network forinitiating the order method, executing the web-based script to create anorder form and creating a shopping basket; executing the order methodand sending of a confirmation query from the web shop computer to thecustomer computer, including reference data which represent the at leastone ordered picture; receiving the confirmation query by the customercomputer and sending a confirmation message from the customer computerto the web shop computer for the case where the corresponding order isto be executed; in response to a positive confirmation by the customerestablishing a connection between the web shop computer and the suppliercomputer via the network; reading out those digital data, whichrepresent the at least one ordered picture, by the web shop computerfrom the storage device of the supplier computer; and preparing theread-out picture data according to the picture format desired by thecustomer.
 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least onehyperlink represents a picture link and that a separate picture link isassigned to each picture offered by the supplier, the said picture linkcontaining or referring to information with regard to the assignedpicture.
 3. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least onehyperlink represents a form link and that a common form link is assignedto a large number of pictures offered by the supplier, within the scopeof an electronic order form, this form link containing or referring toinformation with regard to at least one ordered picture.
 4. The methodaccording to claim 3, wherein the electronic order form exhibits fieldsfor the selection of at least one picture and an order field that can beactivated for ordering the at least one selected picture.
 5. The methodaccording to claim 3, wherein the form link is activated by clicking theorder field in the electronic order form.
 6. The method according toclaim 1, wherein at least one hyperlink represents a form link and thata common form link is assigned to a large number of pictures offered bythe supplier, and the said form link includes or refers to informationwith regard to a special software program for the generation of anelectronic order form for the ordering of at least one picture.
 7. Themethod according to claim 1 wherein an electronic shopping basket is setup in the web shop computer for the customer.
 8. The method according toclaim 7, wherein the electronic shopping basket is set up in respond tothe activation of the at least one hyperlink.
 9. The method according toclaim 7, wherein the electronic shopping basket is set up for the casewhere no electronic shopping basket has been set up yet for thecorresponding customer.
 10. The method according to claim 7, whereininformation is placed in the electronic shopping basket which representsthe at least one ordered picture and is determined from the at least onehyperlink.
 11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the data savedin the storage device of the supplier computer represent HTML contents.12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the data saved in thestorage device of the supplier computer represent WML contents.
 13. Themethod according to claim 1, wherein the network is the Internet. 14.The method according to claim 1, characterized in that wherein thesupplier computer is managed by an Internet provider.
 15. The methodaccording to claim 1, wherein the customer computer is a mobiletelephone.
 16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the mobiletelephone is WAP-compatible.
 17. The method according to claim 15,wherein the mobile telephone is UMTS-compatible.
 18. The methodaccording to claim 1, wherein a large number of suppliers take part inthe method.
 19. The method according to claim 1, wherein a large numberof customers take part in the method.
 20. The method according to claim1, wherein the processing of the read-out picture data includes sendingthe picture data to a photographic laboratory.
 21. The method accordingto claim 1, wherein the processing of the read-out picture data includesthe printing of at least one appropriate photographic print in paperform according to the desired picture format.
 22. The method accordingto claim 21, wherein the printing of at least one photographic printincludes delivering the at least one photographic print to the customer.23. The method according to claim 22, wherein the delivery of the atleast one photographic print to the customer includes delivery by letteror parcel post.
 24. The method according to claim 22, wherein deliveryof the at least one photographic print is carried out by thephotographic laboratory.
 25. The method according to claim 1, wherein apayment method is also initiated in response to a positive confirmationby the customer.
 26. The method according to claim 1, wherein payment ofthe ordered pictures by the customer occurs after delivery by collectionvia invoice.
 27. A system for distributing pictures over a network,comprising: a computer processor; means for saving digital datarepresenting a pictures of a supplier in a computer of the supplier;means for assigning at least one hyperlink to the digital data, wherebythe said at least one hyperlink is used for initiating an order methodfor ordering at least one picture and which references or includesinformation which references a web shop computer and a web-based scriptfor creating an order form; means for establishing a connection betweena customer computer and the supplier computer; means for reading out thedata saved in the supplier computer and displaying of appropriatepictures and the at least one assigned hyperlink on a display device ofthe customer computer; means for activating the hyperlink for orderingat least one picture; means for establishing of a connection between thecustomer computer and the web shop computer via the network forinitiating the order method, executing the web-based script to create anorder form, and creatina a shoDDinci basket, in response to theactivation of the hyperlink; means for executing the order method andsending of a confirmation query from the web shop computer to thecustomer computer, including reference data which represent the at leastone ordered picture; means for receiving the confirmation query by thecustomer computer and sending a confirmation message from the customercomputer to the web shop computer for the case where the correspondingorder is to be executed; means for establishing a connection between theweb shop computer and the supplier computer via the network in responseto a positive confirmation by the customer; means for reading out thosedigital data, which represent the at least one ordered picture, by theweb shop computer from the supplier computer; and means for preparingthe read-out picture data according to the picture format desired by thecustomer.
 28. The system of claim 27, wherein said means for saving,said means for assigning the at least one hyperlink, said means forestablishing the connection between a customer computer and the suppliercomputer, said means for reading out the data, said means for activatingthe hyperlink, said means for establishing of the connection between thecustomer computer and the web shop computer, said means for executingthe order method, said means for receiving the confirmation query, saidmeans for establishing a connection between the web shop computer andthe supplier computer, said means for reading out those digital data,and said means for preparing the read-out picture data comprise devicesof a computer system.
 29. The system of claim 27, wherein said means forsaving, said means for assigning the at least one hyperlink, said meansfor establishing the connection between a customer computer and thesupplier computer, said means for reading out the data, said means foractivating the hyperlink, said means for establishing of the connectionbetween the customer computer and the web shop computer, said means forexecuting the order method, said means for receiving the confirmationquery, said means for establishing a connection between the web shopcomputer and the supplier computer, said means for reading out thosedigital data, and said means for preparing the read-out picture datacomprise computer readable instructions on a computer readable medium.